Bottom Line:
Endothelial-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation was measured utilizing wire-myography and increasing concentrations of bradykinin (BK) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), respectively.BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation were significantly reduced in the femoral arteries of gestational HE offspring.This dysfunction may lead to atherosclerotic disease development later in life.

Background: The development of long-term vascular disease can be linked to the intrauterine environment, and maternal nutrition during gestation plays a critical role in the future vascular health of offspring. The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that a high-energy (HE) gestational diet, HE post-weaning diet, or their combination will lead to endothelial dysfunction in offspring.

Methods: Duroc × Landrace gilts (n = 16) were assigned to either a HE (10,144 Kcal/day, n = 8) or normal energy (NE: 6721 Kcal/day, n = 8) diet throughout pregnancy. Piglets were placed on either a NE or HE diet during the growth phase. At 3 months of age femoral arteries were harvested from offspring (n = 47). Endothelial-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation was measured utilizing wire-myography and increasing concentrations of bradykinin (BK) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), respectively.

Results: BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation were significantly reduced in the femoral arteries of gestational HE offspring. However, no effect for the post-weaning diet on BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation was seen. This investigation demonstrates that a HE diet prenatally diminishes both BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation in swine.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that a HE gestational diet can play a critical role in the development of offspring's vascular function, predisposing them to endothelial dysfunction. This dysfunction may lead to atherosclerotic disease development later in life.

Fig2: Endothelium-dependent (A) and endothelium-independent (B) relaxation responses to increasing doses of BK and SNP in the femoral artery of male and female offspring exposed to gestational NE or HE diets, at three months of age, independent of their post-weaning diets. *Significantly different (p < 0.05) from NE male offspring.

Mentions:
There was also a significant effect of gestational diet on both BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation in the offspring. Specifically, offspring exposed to the HE gestational diet demonstrated significantly less BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation when compared to offspring exposed to the NE gestational diet (Figure 1A and B). These gestational diet induced differences in vasorelaxation responses between HE and NE offspring to BK and SNP were attributed to significant differences in male but not female offspring when examined independently of post-weaning diets (Figure 2A and B). Post-weaning diets had no significant effect on BK or SNP induced vasorelaxation in the femoral arteries of the offspring when examined independently of gestational diets.Figure 2

Fig2: Endothelium-dependent (A) and endothelium-independent (B) relaxation responses to increasing doses of BK and SNP in the femoral artery of male and female offspring exposed to gestational NE or HE diets, at three months of age, independent of their post-weaning diets. *Significantly different (p < 0.05) from NE male offspring.

Mentions:
There was also a significant effect of gestational diet on both BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation in the offspring. Specifically, offspring exposed to the HE gestational diet demonstrated significantly less BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation when compared to offspring exposed to the NE gestational diet (Figure 1A and B). These gestational diet induced differences in vasorelaxation responses between HE and NE offspring to BK and SNP were attributed to significant differences in male but not female offspring when examined independently of post-weaning diets (Figure 2A and B). Post-weaning diets had no significant effect on BK or SNP induced vasorelaxation in the femoral arteries of the offspring when examined independently of gestational diets.Figure 2

Bottom Line:
Endothelial-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation was measured utilizing wire-myography and increasing concentrations of bradykinin (BK) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), respectively.BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation were significantly reduced in the femoral arteries of gestational HE offspring.This dysfunction may lead to atherosclerotic disease development later in life.

Background: The development of long-term vascular disease can be linked to the intrauterine environment, and maternal nutrition during gestation plays a critical role in the future vascular health of offspring. The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that a high-energy (HE) gestational diet, HE post-weaning diet, or their combination will lead to endothelial dysfunction in offspring.

Methods: Duroc × Landrace gilts (n = 16) were assigned to either a HE (10,144 Kcal/day, n = 8) or normal energy (NE: 6721 Kcal/day, n = 8) diet throughout pregnancy. Piglets were placed on either a NE or HE diet during the growth phase. At 3 months of age femoral arteries were harvested from offspring (n = 47). Endothelial-dependent and -independent vasorelaxation was measured utilizing wire-myography and increasing concentrations of bradykinin (BK) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), respectively.

Results: BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation were significantly reduced in the femoral arteries of gestational HE offspring. However, no effect for the post-weaning diet on BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation was seen. This investigation demonstrates that a HE diet prenatally diminishes both BK and SNP induced vasorelaxation in swine.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that a HE gestational diet can play a critical role in the development of offspring's vascular function, predisposing them to endothelial dysfunction. This dysfunction may lead to atherosclerotic disease development later in life.